


milk and honey

by wrenlans (honeyandjam)



Category: NCT (Band), SuperM (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - The Snake Prince, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fairy Tale Retellings, Lee Taeyong-centric, M/M, Magic, Melodrama, Mentioned Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Royalty, Snakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:27:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28914588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyandjam/pseuds/wrenlans
Summary: When the feasting was over and night had fallen and the scent of flowers filled the air, Lucas spoke tenderly to his husband, but Taeyong did not answer him. He was silent for a long time, while the prince pleaded with him to speak.At last he said, "Tell me the story of your birth."Lucas was filled with dismay at Taeyong's request. "If I tell you," he whispered, "you will be sorry that you ever asked me."
Relationships: Lee Taeyong/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38





	milk and honey

**Author's Note:**

> something i've wanted to write for a while now, a luyong retelling of 'the snake prince' fairy tale.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful prince, named Taeyong. He was married to an equally handsome prince of the neighbouring land, named Lucas. But they were not married because Taeyong had rescued him from a violent dragon and they had fallen in love, or because Lucas had freed him from a terrible curse and they had fallen in love, or even love by its lonesome. They were married because, like most royal marriages, they were arranged from birth. 

Still, Taeyong could definitely say he liked Lucas. He was not entirely sure if he loved Lucas, because he wasn't sure if he had been in love before, but he enjoyed his husband's presence all the same. Overseeing policy arrangements, going to royal processions, walking through the palace gardens. He did them all with Lucas, and happily so. Taeyong considered himself extremely lucky, all things considered. 

Rumours had spread not so long ago about another prince, Doyoung, who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into his wedding, having already fallen in love with one of his knights. Taeyong found it very fortunate that it had not happened to him, and why should it? Lucas was a fine young prince, with both beauty and wisdom admired by all. Certainly not a bad catch for anyone, least of all a prince from a relatively small and unpowerful country. Taeyong would occasionally catch whispers of the servants, fawning over their own prince, words like 'fireworks' and 'butterflies' thrown around like the handful of rice on his wedding. Nothing like fireworks or butterflies ever came to Taeyong when he was with Lucas. The feeling was much more akin to an oil lamp, flame burning small but bright, and protected. He couldn't imagine himself with anyone else, and he would never need to. 

Adoration for his husband was not the only thing passed around their servants. The old nurse who had raised Lucas since birth loved them both with all her heart, and many a time when Taeyong needed advice on Lucas, he would go to her first instead of the king and queen. However, she would always boast of something peculiar. Something Taeyong should not, could not believe in, but found it impossible to forget. 

"There had been magic in that boy's birth." She would say with a knowing smile, grinning up at Taeyong through kind, wrinkly eyes. 

At first, the prince could only smile and nod along, humouring the nurse. But days and weeks and months of her alluding to Lucas' birth, the servants spreading the rumour too, had buried itself into his brain. He began to truly wonder. Maybe it was the way Lucas's large eyes sparkled over court documents, or the way his muscles would ripple under the thin dress shirt whenever they spar. It surely felt like a spell, the way Taeyong was so fascinated with Lucas's habits and quirks. Perhaps it was merely the way Lucas would tenderly take Taeyong's hands into his own, entwining their fingers together. Lucas' hands were always so cold. His body was always cold, but Lucas never commented on it, so Taeyong would keep his questions to himself as he wrapped another hand around Lucas to give him warmth. 

Time had passed, a year since Taeyong and Lucas had married. A year with Lucas and a year with the old nurse, who boasts had refused to leave Taeyong alone. He had never heard anyone but the old nurse mention Lucas's birth, not even the king and queen, least of all the prince himself. Filled with curiosity, he resolved to find out the secret as soon as their anniversary arrived. 

When the feasting was over and night had fallen and the scent of flowers filled the air, Lucas spoke tenderly to his husband, but Taeyong did not answer him. He was silent for a long time, while the prince pleaded with him to speak. 

At last he said, "Tell me the story of your birth." 

Lucas was filled with dismay at Taeyong's request. "If I tell you," he whispered, "you will be sorry that you ever asked me." 

For many months their lives continued in this way. Taeyong could feel the flame inside him grow smaller and smaller as the weight between them grew. He had thrown himself into his duties, speaking with Lucas only of matters at hand. Taeyong's skin itched and prickled every time he would feel Lucas' mournful stare on him. His heart weighed heavy like coal in his chest whenever he had to be curt with Lucas. It had never crossed Taeyong's mind that he and Lucas would ever end up like this. Had he taken those peaceful, gentle days for granted? Taeyong's relationship with Lucas had been so tranquil, so steady, that he never questioned it. But Lucas would share everything with him. Whether it be riches, responsibilities, sentiments, Lucas gave his everything to Taeyong. Except for the story of his birth. Except why he was always so cold.

Taeyong had laid himself equally bare. He did not know if he loved Lucas, but he did not know why he grew sadder and paler each passing day. Even the old nurse had fallen silent, refusing to speak on the matter. Once jubilant dinners and outings were replaced with heavy silences, warm smiles and soft touches gone, and in its place, longing stares and words cut short. All because of the secret that lay between them. 

At last, prince Lucas could bear it no longer and said to Taeyong, "At midnight tonight I promise to tell you my secret, but you will repent it all your life." 

Taeyong was so happy to hear this that he paid no heed to Lucas' warning. That night, the prince ordered their horses to be saddled. He lifted Taeyong onto the horse very carefully before mounting himself, and they rode off, down to the river. Taeyong clung to Lucas' back, the cold air of the night and the coldness of Lucas's body could not dry the sweat covering Taeyong's body. He was happy, should have been overjoyed that Lucas was finally going to reveal the truth to Taeyong. But why were Lucas's eyes so glassy? Why were his lips trembling, even though Lucas never found it cold? Taeyong clung tighter to the lean body, assuring himself that this was the right decision for both of them. 

A little before midnight they finally arrived at the riverbank, where Taeyong slid off the horse and Lucas followed suit, tethering the horse. With a great sigh, he sat himself down among the reeds, staring out into the moonlit lake. Taeyong sat right beside his prince, and waited. 

Lucas kept his eyes on the water, and Taeyong kept his eyes on him. He hated the way sadness marred Lucas's striking features, cheeks curving in, hollow and gaunt. The white light of the moon seemed to shimmer off his sickly skin. Lucas looked like marble, a stone statue that shut Taeyong out, cold and impassive. Taeyong realised he must have not looked any better. 

In what seemed like an eternity, Lucas asked in an infinitely sad voice, "Do you still wish me to tell you my secret?"

"Yes," Taeyong answered. 

Upon hearing Taeyong's answer, Lucas looked up at the moon, unreadable expression settling on his face. He turned to Taeyong, looking him straight in the eyes, and spoke. 

"On the edge of the city, lived an old woman who lived by herself. She was very poor, and very desolate. One day, she went down to the river as usual to wash, taking with her a small brass pot which she used to carry water back to her hut. She set the pot down on the riverbank while she washed, but when she lifted the lid off to fill it there was a glittering, deadly snake inside. She thought, 'I will take this snake home with me and let it kill me there, for I am poor and alone and I long for death.'" 

Taeyong clutched at Lucas's arm. "That's terrible." But before Taeyong could continue, Lucas placed his hand over Taeyong's, giving him a soft smile. 

"When she reached her hut she tipped the pot over onto the floor but to her surprise, instead of the snake, a magnificent necklace fell out. She picked it up and hurried to the palace to offer it to the king. When the king saw the necklace he bought it from the old woman at once to give to his queen, whose days were filled with sadness because she had no children."

At this point, Lucas took a shuddering breath, and closed his misty eyes. 

"The queen was delighted with the beautiful necklace and locked it away in her jewel chest. Sometime later she wanted to look at it again, but when she opened the door she found to her amazement that the necklace had disappeared and in its place was a baby boy." 

Taeyong could not believe his ears. He stared at Lucas, mouth agape. Such things were not conceivable, were they? He could not possibly be talking about his own birth, could he? But the pause stretched out long after the last sentence. Lucas had nothing else to say, mouth sealed in a tight line. His lips seemed to be shaking with the effort to stay closed, but it was as if an invisible force had pried them open, and the words tumbled out of his mouth. 

"I am the son of the king of a far country and I was turned by a wicked spell into a snake." 

Lucas's face was gravely serious, and Taeyong wanted to laugh in a fit of panic. Lucas had never made this calibre of joke before, and it did not suit him. Before Taeyong could say so, the moonlight streaming down on his skin shimmered brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding. The light was no longer content to shine on his face, instead bouncing off of skin. Faint lines had suddenly appeared all over Lucas, forming a diamond. Taeyong laid a trembling finger to Lucas's cheek, and instead of supple skin, he was met with cold, smooth hardness. He screamed, and no sooner had he snatched his finger back than Lucas had sunk to the ground and disappeared. 

Taeyong heard a rustle and saw in the moonlight a snake gliding into the river. He called to his prince to return and searched everywhere for him. But the night held its secret. The wind mourned through the trees and the river flowed silently past, and Taeyong's prince did not return. 

When the king and queen found Taeyong in the morning, he was weeping and his hair was tangled and wild. His feet were cut and bleeding from the stones that he had stumbled on in the night, searching for Lucas. Taeyong, still in shock, could only point to the river where Lucas had vanished into. But that was all they needed it seems, as the queen sunk down to her feet and howled. When Taeyong had come to enough to speak, all he asked was that they build a temple of black stone on the river bank where he could live alone and mourn for the prince. 

Just like that, another year had passed, and still the prince waited for his husband to return. He never left the temple and the guards who watched over him never allowed anyone to come inside. Taeyong could not think of himself as anything but a fool. His heart was shattered, but what was heartbreak without love? Too late had he understood his own feelings, had realised his mistake. He wasted away by himself in the temple, mourning the loss of his Lucas and cursing his own name. He shambled room to room, weak and decrepit, poised on the precipice of life and death, too cowardly to choose one side. 

Then, one morning when Taeyong awoke he found a stain of fresh mud on the pillow beside him. He hurriedly asked the guards if anyone had entered the room while he was asleep. But they had seen no one. 

The next morning he again found fresh mud on the pillow. Again he asked the guards and again they assured him that no one could have entered his room. Taeyong was no fool and took matters into his own hands, determined to stay awake and watch. He cut his finger with a knife so that the pain would keep him from sleeping. 

At midnight he saw a snake come gliding along the floor, with mud from the river still clinging to its skin. It came up to his bed, raised its head, and then sank down on the pillow beside him. 

"Who are you, and what do you want?" he whispered, terrified. 

"I am prince Lucas, your husband," replied the snake, "and I have come to see you again."

Treating began to weep and as Lucas watched him, he went on, "Alas! Didn't I tell you that you would represent your curiosity all your life?"

"Oh, yes!" cried the poor prince. "I have repented it all these days that I have been alone, without you. Is there nothing I can do to bring you back again?"

And the snake answered, "Yes, there is one thing, if you are brave enough to do it. You must put a bowl of milk and honey in each of the corners of this room. All the snakes in the river will come and drink the milk, and the one that leads the way will be the Queen of the Snakes. You must stand in front of her and say, 'O Queen of Snakes, Queen of Snakes, give me back my husband!' But if you are frightened and do not stop her, she will keep me in her power for ever, and you will never see me again."

The snake had curled its tail around Taeyong's wrist, as if to comfort his weeping husband. Taeyong rubbed at the muddy scales on Lucas, silently nodding, for he now knew what he had to do. Before the first rays of sunlight were able to poke through the night sky, the snake glided away and disappeared into the river, leaving the prince alone again. 

Taeyong dried his tears for the first time since Lucas had gone. He brushed through his matted hair, and bathed properly, and set out a clean change of clothes. That night the prince took four bowls of milk and honey and put one in each corner of the room. Then he stood in the doorway, waiting with bated breath, heart hammering away in his chest. Exactly on midnight, there was a great hissing and rustling from the river. The ground rumbled as if a great earthquake was about to strike, and presently the ground was covered with the writhing forms of snakes, their eyes glittering and their forked tongues quivering and reaching forward as they moved towards the prince. They were led by a huge, hideous creature who was the Queen of the Snakes. 

The guards were so frightened that they ran away and left Taeyong alone, standing in the doorway. He was deathly white, but determined that he would not run away. Not if he wanted Lucas back. As the snakes came closer they rose up and began swaying to and fro, flicking their forked tongues in the air. But Taeyong still stood firm, and when the leading snake came within reach of him, he cried out. 

"O Queen of Snake, Queen of Snakes, give me back my husband!" And all the swaying band of snakes seemed to whisper to the night, "His husband, his husband." 

But the Queen of the Snakes moved forward until her head was almost touching the prince's face and her small, evil eyes seemed to flash fire. Taeyong felt as if he were about to burn up. Still, he stood in the doorway and again he cried: 

"O Queen of Snakes, Queen of Snakes, give me back my husband!" 

The fire in the Queen's eyes seemed to flash brighter, almost blinding Taeyong. But he willed himself to stare unblinking straight into the stark white abyss. Then the snake fell back and hissed: 

"Tomorrow you shall have him!" 

When he heard these words Taeyong sank fainting onto his bed. As if in a dream he saw the room filled with snakes sliding over and under each other to reach the bowls of milk. The noise in the room was deafening, hisses crashing up and down the walls, drilling its detestable racket into Taeyong's ears. And then it was silent, as the snakes disappeared into the river, never to be seen again. 

The next morning Taeyong took off his mourning clothes and put on beautiful clothes again. He filled the temple with flowers and when night came he lit the garden with lanterns and the temple with candles. Again, at midnight prince Lucas came to him from out of the river. Taeyong ran to meet him, and they embraced with greater joy and love than they had ever before. Each 'I love you' that spilled past Taeyong's lips finally felt like truth, and he clutched at Lucas, no longer ice cold, but warm and bright, and more handsome than Taeyong had seen. It felt as though a great weight had been lifted off both their shoulders, and they returned at once to the palace, their rightful home.

The old king and queen wept for joy when they saw Lucas and Taeyong return, hand in hand. At once they commanded that the feasting and rejoicing begin. The old woman who had been the prince's nurse was present of course. In due course, she had also become Lucas and Taeyong's children's nurse too-at least, she was called that, but in fact she was far too old to do anything for the children but love them. And so Taeyong and Lucas ruled the land for many years with love and wisdom in their hearts.

**Author's Note:**

> here on [twt](https://twitter.com/wrenlans) having a fun ol time


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